Take A Chance
by jacey1210
Summary: Kat Monpezat is HYDRA's secret weapon against Captain America, but when she's given the chance to start anew, she has to make a choice: play it safe or take a chance?
1. Chapter 1: Trust

Kat struggled to keep her breathing low as she crouched under the table. All around her, HYDRA officers were fighting their SHIELD enemies. One moment, everything had been calm as she did her exercises with Officer Lutz; the next, enemy agents had burst into the heavily guarded conference room, yelling and brandishing weapons. Gunfire ricocheted through her head as blood freckled her arms. She tucked a strand of brown hair behind her head, struggling to stay calm. If she made a run for it, it was almost certain she would be caught and beaten, or worse. But, if she didn't try, she'd definitely be subject to more tests, more experiments. Her throat constricted as the familiar feeling of drowning in fear took over her mind.

_Kat, just do it! _

_Kat, are you ready to die?_

_Kat, it's worth a try!_

_Are you willing to risk your life for a stupid escape attempt?_

_Do it!_

Taking a deep breath, she counted to ten, then bolted out from the safety of her desk.

"Hey! Stop her!" someone shouted from behind her, "Stop the mutant!" She ran faster, ignoring the fighting around her as she sprinted towards the exit. All too soon, she heard the sharp crack of a gun, and immediately felt a sharp pain in her back. A scream tore out of her throat as she fell, sobbing and shrieking. Sharp tendrils clawed through her veins, ripping her skin as the bullet released the toxin into her bloodstream. She collapsed onto the hard floor and curled up into the fetal position, begging for the pain to go away. Officer Lutz began to stride towards her, deadly calm, gun aimed directly at her face. He wore the same expression as when he injected her with new serums, or flipped the trigger to start the electricity experiment. Kat closed her eyes and curled up even more tightly, feeling fear and anger overwhelm her senses as she lost control. The familiar sense of leaving her body overcame her as instinct took over. Detachedly, she felt the pent-up energy suddenly leave her body in a blue arc, ramming into the Hydra soldiers but leaving SHIELD forces unharmed.

She opened her eyes to the wreckage of the room. Bodies were splattered against the broken glass walls, blood seeping from their eyes, mouths, and noses. SHIELD agents lay unconscious on the ground, as if they were sleeping. She retched until nothing was left to regurgitate, leaving a sickly taste in her mouth. Broken glass cut into her face as she awkwardly shifted away from the vomit. The bullet in her back released more toxin, sending a surge of tiredness through her body. Kat used a tiny wave of energy to levitate herself up off the ground and towards the exit.

"You might actually want to follow me. More soldiers are coming through the hallway." She looked up into the emotionless face of Captain America, the super soldier who HYDRA was training her to kill. He stood up from his crouch behind his famous shield. "You should make up your mind," he added, offering her a red gloved hand. Kat pondered his offer. She could stay here, her home, and undergo more experiments, but at least she would be safe. Sort of. There would be people who looked after her, who fed her and protected her from the outside world. Or, she could go with the Captain and escape the tests, but possibly have to sacrifice her safety. Kat turned her head to look at Officer Lutz, her captor and doctor, who was lying in a puddle of his own blood. Her doing. She remembered the many experiments and needles, the pain. She remembered the beatings and long nights in the Tower. And anyway, did she even have a choice? The seriously buff super soldier stood between her and the only exit she knew of, and since he seemed to not be affected by her powers, she didn't stand a chance.

She looked back at the Captain's blue eyes, searching for signs of trickery and lies, but found only compassion. _Take a chance,_ whispered her mother's voice in her head, _Follow your instincts._

Her slender hand fit perfectly into his strong one.


	2. Chapter 2: Let it Go

"What's your name?"

"Kat."

"I'm Steve. I think I know someone who can help you at SHIELD." She recoiled,

"No! I-I don't want anymore 'help,'" I just want-I don't know," she finished weakly.

"Hey," he said, stopping to look at her, "We're not going to hurt you. I promise you, we're the good guys." Kat looked away as he sighed.

"The carrier is this way," he said, leading her through another door. The two jogged in silence towards an open window at the end of a trashed hallway.

"Will your friends be alright? I didn't mean to hurt them."

"Trust me, they'll be right behind us. They've been through worse. Ladies first," he grinned. Kat looked at her bloodied feet,

"I, um, I don't really like heights. I'm sorry," she whispered.

"The carrier's hovering right next to the window. Just take my hand. Trust me."

Trust me. The same words Officer Lutz had said to her parents when they took her away. "It's for the better," he told them, "We can help you with your powers."

"Kat, they're coming," he added, urgency creeping into his voice, "Take my hand."

"I don't-I don't want to-" He jumped out of the window into the aircraft.

"HYDRA is coming, and when they come, they're going coming for you. What are you going to do?" he shouted over the whirring of the aircraft, arm outstretched. She took a deep breath. "Jump! You have to jump now!" The footsteps of the soldiers were much louder now as they ran through the hallway towards her. Kat perched in the window frame and looked behind her one last time, then locked eyes with the Captain, needing something strong to anchor herself with. He nodded encouragingly, and she jumped.

After a sickening feeling of weightlessness, Kat found herself in her enemy's arms. He was quite warm, and she could feel the startlingly hard muscles rolling underneath his skin. "That wasn't so bad, was it?" She wrinkled her nose, making him throw his head back in laughter, revealing a perfect set of pearly white teeth.

Someone cleared their throat, making the two look up in surprise. "Fury," greeted the Captain.

"Rogers. Is this the target?" inquired the man. At once, Kat noticed his black eyepatch, and the jagged scars running underneath it. His one remaining eye was focused intently on her, emotionless, as his hand rested on the handle of his gun. Steve swallowed,

"No, Director," he replied, straightening up, "This is Kat." She instinctively moved behind him. _That pirate with a gun and Lutz would be soul mates._

"Rogers, did you understand your orders?"

"Yes, Fury."

"Is there a specific reason why you did not follow them?"

"I made an executive decision that will benefit SHIELD in the long run."

"How so?"

"Kat is a powerful person, who, with the right training, could become even more powerful. She has no affinity towards HYDRA, and would be a valuable asset to SHIELD." Fury turned to Kat.

"How do I know you're not a spy sent to infiltrate SHIELD?"

"They killed my parents," she stated, voice cracking, "They killed my parents and I hate them." He rolled his eye.

"I don't give a shit about your personal life. You need to prove to me that you are utterly loyal to SHIELD, or you'll be seeing your parents sooner than you'd like. Screw up, and you and your friend over here are going to face the consequences. Anything else?"

"You can't kill me."

"Excuse me?" His eye widened, surprised.

"You can't kill me," she replied, voice rising, "Touch me, and you die. It's my powers, not me, so I can't stop myself. Try it. I dare you." Fury turned away from her to look at the Captain.

"Put it in the holding cell until we get to headquarters. This is now your problem, Captain," he spat, then whirled back into the cockpit. Steve sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Sorry about that, Kat. Fury does what Fury does."

"It's okay."

"I'm sorry about this, but I'm going to have to take you to the holding cell." She looked away. "Wait a minute," he said, turning towards a mini fridge. Steve pulled out a handful of water bottles and an armful of sandwiches. "In case we get hungry."

"We?"

"I wasn't going to leave you alone in there, unless you want me to."

"That would be nice. If you stayed, I mean. If you want to. Just-just do something," she finished awkwardly. He grinned.

"This way. The cell isn't too bad. It's not really a cell. I've seen far worse."

"In Germany?" Lutz had taught her all about the Captain as part of her training.

"Everywhere. But Germany was...bad."

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault." They lapsed into a silence as Steve unlocked the cell. It was small, about as big a four Porta-Potties combined, with a cot and toilet. "Turkey or chicken?"

"Mmm, chicken?" He tossed her a sandwich, and the two sat down on the cot, leaning against opposite walls.

"How'd you find out about your abilities?"

"I used to be bullied at school," she replied cautiously, "It didn't end well for them or for me."

"Whaddya mean?"

"HYDRA found out about me. And the bullies," she swallowed, "Died." Kat felt her throat begin to constrict. She was a monster, a mutant, just like Lutz had said. She put down her sandwich and wrapped her face in her arms, hunger forgotten.

"Hey," said Steve, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, "It wasn't your fault. You didn't know what you were doing."

"I killed them," choked Kat, "I did that. And the men in the alley. And Dr. Burrow and all the HYDRA soldiers and officers and-" Her tears fell freely as she poured out the feelings she had been holding in for so long. "I didn't know, I couldn't stop. I tried so hard but I always failed." She pressed her face into his bloody uniform and cried as he rubbed her back.

"I have a friend who can help you. Just hold on until we get there. Kat," he said, holding her chin, "We're going to help you. I promise."


	3. Chapter 3: Sneaking Out

"Kat, we're here," said the Captain, gently jostling her awake. She blinked groggily, focusing on her surroundings. He helped her up.

"Where are the sandwiches?"

"I may have eaten them," he replied, grinning sheepishly, "But there'll be plenty of food in headquarters." The two exited the cell to see Fury exiting the carrier.

"You'll be taking her to Stark Tower, Rogers, until her loyalty is proven." He nodded and offered Kat his arm.

"This way," said Steve, glaring at Fury as he led her to an enormous building with "STARK" plasted at the very top.

"Hello Captain Rogers. Who is your guest today?" asked a mechanical voice as soon as they entered.

"JARVIS, this is Kat, Kat, this is JARVIS. Any idea where Bruce is?"

"Dr. Banner is in in lab. Should I notify him of your company?"

"Thanks, J. Kat, I think you'll like Bruce."

"Who's Bruce?"

"You'll see," he replied mysteriously as they stepped inside an elevator, "Just make sure you don't upset him." They stood in silence as the elevator reached the designated floor. The doors opened, but Steve didn't move. "Kat, are you okay?" She blushed, embarrassed,

"A little. Sorry for, um, crying on you."

"Come talk to me whenever you need to. I'll be here," he said, smiling. The girl had grown on him since he had first met her. In the beginning, she seemed weak and frail, but after learning about what she had been through, he realized she was probably as strong as him, mentally rather than physically. She smiled, and he noticed her greenish eyes. The irises weren't quite emerald-colored, but they were definitely a shade of green. Turquoise, maybe? No, that wasn't it.

_Why is he staring at me_? thought Kat as the Captain peered intently at her eyes, _Do I have another zit?_ He quickly noticed the strange look she was giving him and blushed.

A plopping noise startled them both. The two looked down at the ground to see tiny droplets of blood on the white tile ground. "Kat, were you injured?"

"I don't remember," she replied woozily, "Serum." A sudden tiredness overtook her and she swayed. Kat giggled, "My back is numb. You have yellow hair. Pew pew." Steve quickly caught her right before she collapsed.

Kat blinked groggily, clearing the blurriness from her vision. Yawning and stretching her arms above her head, she turned to see Steve reclining next to her...hospital bed?

"Steve?" He startled awake.

"Kat, you're up. Feeling any better? Your doctor shot you with some pretty serious tranquilizer." She wrinkled her nose.

"Bit of a headache, but much better. Thanks for helping me, Steve." Kat felt her cheeks tingle. _Why am I so embarrassed? _

"Just doing my job. Hey, when you're feeling better, want to grab a cup of coffee with me? There's this really good cafe a couple blocks away…" He flashed a contagious Oscar-worthy grin, making her smile too.

_That smile, _thought Steve, _Mmm._

"I'd love to! Oh," she added awkwardly, "I, uh, don't have any money." Kat looked at her sheets.

"It's on me. Don't worry about it; it's the least I can do since you got me away from Fury."

"Will you help me get up? I'd like to walk around a bit, if that's okay."

"We're going to have to hide from the nurses, though. Here, grab my shoulder." She wrapped her arm around his neck as he helped her out of the bed. "Tell me if you feel any pain." Leaning heavily on him, Kat and Steve moved towards the door, slowly and steadily. "Where do you want to go?"

"Hmmm, let's go somewhere interesting."

"The recreation floor it is! Tony's probably hanging around there drinking, which is something you don't want to miss. Ready?"

"Yes!" Peering around the corner, the two half-hobbled, half-ran to the elevator, struggling to contain their laughter. Poor Kat could barely keep her feet on the ground as the tall Captain ran down the hall, practically carrying her by her arm.

"Is it safe for Miss Kat to be out of the hospital so soon?" inquired JARVIS.

"Um, well, I'm getting a breath of fresh air?"

"In the rec room," added Steve, "We're being cautious, don't worry."

"I'm sure," replied the AI, "I have the utmost confidence you two are being truthful with me." Kat shot Steve a worried look, but the elevator dinged, and the two hobbled out.

"Want to watch a movie?"

"I don't really know any movies. HYDRA wasn't exactly the type to let me have fun. You pick?"

"I'm with you. Hmmm, how about we pick the weirdest one and see what happens?" asked Steve

"Deal." He flipped through Apple TV. "Ooh, what about 'Mean Girls?'"

"Sounds terrible."

"Perfect!"

**2 hours later**

Kat felt her eyes grow heavy, so she struggled to stay awake.

"Hey, if you're tired, just sleep. I'll take you back later."

"Mmmm," she mumbled shifting before her fatigue caught up to her. Her head lolled and she fell sideways off the couch just as Steve grabbed her. Chuckling, he leaned her against him. _She's so thin and light…_

"Night, Kat."

"Night…"


	4. Chapter 4: Redheads and Robots

Steve idly twirled a lock of her caramel hair around his index finger.

"Who's the lucky lady, Capsicle?" Steve slowly turned around, the still-sleeping Kat lying in his lap.

"If you had taken the energy to go downstairs and meet your guest you'd know."

"Ouch, somebody's still a little icy from their crash."

"Ha ha. Stark, you're hilarious."

"I try. Moving on: who is this person, and how did you get her to like you? I doubt I could make that happen, and I'm the love doctor."

"You're more of a cancer. This is Kat, and she's here to work with Bruce."

"Spangles, are you keeping a secret from me?" he asked, wiggling his eyebrows, "You can always confide in me. I'll always be here. You can lean on me, when you're not strong-"

"Aaaaand that's enough. She's here temporarily."

"I am?" Kat sat up.

"Hey babe," smirked Tony, leaning on the couch. Startled, Kat let out a burst of energy, knocking him to the ground.

"Oh my God! I'm so sorry, sir!" Hands over her mouth, she leapt up and ran towards the downed Stark, "Are you okay?" Putting on a pained expression, he motioned her forward. Now crouched on the ground she leaned in. Sitting up quickly, he planted a kiss on her lips before grinning at Steve, who had instinctively stood up.

"Hey! What are you doing?"

"Aha! I knew it! The Capsicle found a girl! Bruce!" He swaggered off in search of his friend, but quickly picked up his pace as Steve began charging after him.

Kat felt her cheeks redden as she watched the mortified Captain disappear around a corner behind the gleeful billionaire. Sure, Steve had already proven himself to be kind, compassionate, forgiving, handsome, protective, and the perfect human being, but they were just friends. _For now,_ whispered a teeny little voice. _Shut up,_ she whispered back, _Or I swear I will cut you._

"Hi there! Are you Kat?" A cheerful redhead peeked around the door, smiling. She entered the room as Kat nodded. "Fury told me you'd be here for a little bit. Oh, and I'm Pepper!" She laughed, "Do you need anything? Clothes, toothbrush, anything?"

"Not now, but thanks. And thank you for letting me stay here rather than with Fury."

"Aw, he comes off cold, but he's really a big old teddy bear," she replied, sitting down next to her.

"A one-eyed teddy bear. Do you know how that happened?" Pepper casually checked the door.

"Well, I don't know if this is true, but Tony _may_ have breached SHIELD top-secret files, where he _might _have _accidentally _found Nick's file, where he _possibly_ could have discovered a grenade _probably_ ruined his eye." Kat winked conspiratorially,

"Maybe he did, maybe he didn't. Jeez, is he really that smart?"

"Yep, but it comes with a price: his ego is as big as his brain. Which can be endearing, in a strange, twisted way, but also incredibly annoying. You've got to know what you can put up with in a guy."

"Pepper, you're one of the strongest women of the few I've ever met."

"What do you mean?"

"I, um, was...doing experiments...with HYDRA for most of my life. Because of my powers." Kat immediately found Pepper's arms around her as she deftly changed the subject,

"Why don't you get cleaned up? Sounds like you had a long day yesterday, and need some relaxation time. We can do yoga or meditation?"

"I'm not very good at staying calm. Part of my problemo."

"Well then," Pepper said, drawing herself up, "It is my job to transform you into a calm, dignified young woman who excels at yoga.

"You sound like my mom, Pep," replied Kat, jokingly rolling her eyes.

"Your mother must have been such an intelligent, incredible woman."

"And Tony has the ego problem?"

"Oh God, I'm turning into him; save me, Kat!"

"I'm deeply sorry, Miss Potts, but my warm shower awaits. You must die a megalomaniac."

"The horror!" she added, gasping in terror, "But go shower. Meet you here in an hour."

"Deal." Kat grinned and got up, moving toward the elevator.

_Pepper. A friend. We're friends. I have a friend!_

Once she got to her floor, Kat sprinted to her rooms, scanned her eye, whipped open the door, and jumped into the shower. "Thanks for starting the water, JARVIS," she called.

"Of course, Miss Monpezat."

"You can call me Kat, if you want."

"If you like."

"Can I call you J-Homedawg?"

"No, Miss Monpezat."

"JARVIS!"


	5. Chapter 5: Operation Streaker

Kat stepped out of the shower and dried off, then reached for her clothes. Her hands landed on empty air.

"Where are my clothes?"

"You placed them in the laundry chute, Miss Monpezat. They are currently being soaked. You left them quite filthy."

"Now what am I supposed to put on?"

"You should probably ask Miss Potts for something. She would appear to be your size."

"Can you call her? Is there something you can do?"

"Miss Potts has explicitly stated she would prefer to speak with people face to face rather than using 'Tony's goddamn trinkets.'"

Crap.

"So, can you tell me where she is?"

"Most likely still in the rec room, with the others."

Crappity crap.

"JARVIS, I'm going to need your help. We are about to put Operation Streaker into action."

"I should hope this mission is more enjoyable that it sounds."

"Quiet in the peanut gallery, J-Sizzle, I'm thinking of a plan."

"JARVIS. J-A-R-V-I-S. JARVIS."

"Are you getting sassy with me, J-Man?"

"Of course not, Miss Monpezat."

"Kat."

"Mmm."

"J-Swag! I've got it!"

"Enlighten me."

"I'm just gonna make a run for it. You have to call out the locations of anyone in the vicinity so I can hide, or something."

"So the plan...is to not have a plan?"

"You got it, J-Thuggins! Ready? 3-2-1-GO!" Kat burst through the door, clinging to her towel. "Do not let anyone in this elevator."

"Duh."

"Sass check."

"This is the floor. No passerby." Kat peeked her head through the elevator doors and looked side to side, then sprinted to her right towards the rec room. "Incoming! Six o'clock!" Panting, she dashed into a doorway, praying. A man in a purple shirt strode by, adjusting his glasses. He disappeared in the direction of the rec room.

Fudge. Silently, she tiptoed behind him, struggling to keep her footsteps low. Every time he so much as tilted his head, she ducked behind a corner or into a doorway or elevator. Gradually, she heard voices from up ahead as the man made his agonizingly slow way towards the rec room. He entered, and, peeking around the corner into the room, Kat noticed five or six people chatting and watching TV.

NOOOOOOOO, NOOOOOOOO, NOOOOOOO!

"JARVIS," she whispered towards the ceiling, "What do I do now?"

"Well, you'll have to attract the attention of Miss Potts one way or another. How you will go about doing so is beyond me."

"You're supposed to be a genius robot, J-Hood!"

"You're supposed to have a plan, correct?"

"Sorry for breathing," she snarked.

"Me too."

"You're hopeless." Kat rolled her eyes and slunk next to the doorway.

"I might suggest a diversion, Miss Monpezat."

"I know!"

"Of course."

"Is there anything not expensive I can throw?"

"Most likely not. However, I might try the Iron Man helmet paperweight in the office you passed a few doors down. I do not believe it would hurt to destroy it." Grinning, Kat dashed towards the conference room, clutching her now-damp towel around herself. She sprinted back, shivering. "I would advise that you aim for the hallway to the kitchen, Miss, as it would lead most of them away from Miss Potts."

"Most?"

"Miss Monpezat, do you have a better plan?"

"Go away."

"I cannot."

"Whatever. Just help me out?"

"Of course." Taking in a deep breath, Kat coiled her arm and chucked the miniature helmet into the adjoining room at the end of the hallway in the rec room. Immediately, every single head in the room swiveled toward the noise, alert.

"What was that?" asked Steve.

"Tony, I'm gonna ask you to put your toys away before the Other Guy comes out to play," remarked Purple Shirt, groaning.

"Uh, guys, I appreciate the confidence you have in me, but that wasn't me."

"Who else is in this building?"

"Kat. That's about it." A frown crossed Steve's face.

"I'm going to check on her. Bruce, it'd be good if you came along in case things...got out of control."

"I'm not responsible for Him."

"I'll pay. Whatever. Hey, Pepper, start the popcorn? I'm up for a little showdown."

"Everything is fine," sighed Steve as he and Bruce walked out a nother hallway towards her rooms.

"JARVIS, tell me where Kat is."

"I'm afraid she is in your workshop, tinkering with Mark 42."

"Excuse me?"

"My signals report you heard me, sir."

"That little-Pepper, stay here while I serve this freak a knuckle sandwich, Iron Man style."

"Good luck, superhero."

"Do I get a good luck kiss?" he asked, puckering his lips. Kat grimaced.

"Maybe when you get back," said Pepper, winking. Smiling cockily, he strode out of the room after Steve and Bruce as he raked a hand through his hair. Quickly, Kat dashed out of her hiding place.

"Pepper! Don't ask questions; I need some clothes!"

"Kat? Why are you n-never mind." She laughed, "Follow me before the guys get back."


	6. Chapter 6: Dress Shopping and Apologies

"JARVIS, issue a full lockdown. Do not let Kat out. Update her location every minute."

"Of course, sir."

"Let's try, hmmm, Mark 42 today?"

"Very good, sir." The pieces of the suit whizzed through the air, catching him off guard as they slammed into him.

"We're gonna need to work on that, buddy."

"My sincerest apologies, sir."

"Is that sarcasm I detect, JARVIS?"

"Of course not," he replied, matter-of-factly, "I wouldn't dare." Tony shot him a confused look before shooting out of the room to join Bruce and Steve. Sighing, JARVIS, reverted his attentions toward Kat and Pepper, who were stepping out of the latter's walk-in closet. Kat had slipped on a pair of white ankle jeans and a light blue chambray shirt.

"God, you're almost the same size as me! You're like the sister I never had," she added, hugging her.

"Thanks, Pep. You've literally got to be the nicest person on the planet."

All of a sudden, Tony and Steve marched in, with a faintly green Bruce on their tail.

"What the fuck are you doing, Kat? And JARVIS, what the hell are you doing behind my back?"

"Um, I was naked-" started Kat. Tony's entire expression changed from anger to interest as the suit left his body. Pepper quickly folded her arms and cleared her throat. "-and I needed clothes, but I couldn't just walk in on you guys with my towel, so JARVIS helped me with Operation Streaker-"

"What's a streaker?" asked Steve, furrowing his brows. Bruce sighed and rubbed his forehead.

"Kat, care for another demonstration?" Pepper quickly smacked his arm.

"Play nice, for once," interjected Pepper.

"I thought you liked it when I didn't," he replied, wiggling his eyebrows.

"You're hopeless."

"And you're beautiful."

"I don't accept your apology. Kat and I are going to go shopping for George's party. Right?"

"What? I mean, um, yes?" she stuttered, "Yes, shopping, good."

"See?" bubbled Pepper, widening her eyes and smiling as she linked arms with Kat, "You better have a good apology for me by the time I get back, mister."

"Ah, Steve, you're quite the ladies' man, think of something. She's picky."

"Tell me what a streaker is, and I'll consider helping you."

"Well…"

"Time to go!" interjected Pepper, pulling her out of the room and into an elevator. "Sometimes I just want to smack him."

"Then do it. You're the only one on the planet who could teach him a lesson." She laughed.

"If his apology isn't good enough, then sure, I will." The two climbed into one of Tony's sports cars and drove towards Manhattan.

"Pep, who's George?"

"Oh, one of my good friends! Have you heard of George Clooney?"

"Erm, not really?"

"He's just an actor, and he's having a party we're all invited to."

"You sure?"

"Don't worry, I'm sure he won't mind if I bring you. Just stick with Steve."

"Oh. And Pep?"

"Mmm hmm?"

"I don't have any money."

"Oh, that's not a problem. Don't worry about it, Kat."

"I can't do this."

"If this is about the price…"

"Well, that, and I'm not really a social butterfly."

"You're so...open…around me though. Just be yourself."

"I'm trusting you, Pep. If I screw up, you've got to help me pick up the pieces."

"That's what friends are for, silly."

The two exited the car and began walking amidst the bustling crowd of New Yorkers. "Let's try Barney's," suggested Pepper, leading Kat into the store, "Ooh, this dress would look great on you." She held up the hem of a black dress with three gold stripes.

"Hmmm, you think so?"

"Absolutely. We'll try it on later. Oh, but what about this one?" Pepper cruised from dress to dress, carefully inspecting each and every one with experienced blue eyes. "This is gorgeous, but I don't think red's our color. God, this is beautiful. Vera Wang, my favorite."

They eventually ended up buying the black gown for Kat and an emerald one for Pepper, then drove back home.

Tony greeted them at the door.

"Hello, dear Pepper," he crooned, kissing her hand, "And hey, Kat." Pepper shot him a warning look.

"Tony, what are you doing?"

"It's all part of my 'apology,'" he replied smoothly, "Stop worrying, Pep," he added, massaging her shoulders. She rolled her eyes, but a tiny smile escaped her lips. "Anywho, Kat, I'm gonna need you to stick around here. This is for le Pep only."

"Oh God, okay, that's enough, I'm gone," she replied, shielding her eyes, "Good luck Pep."

"If you don't hear from me in twenty minutes, come up and get me. We need to prep for the party tonight."

"Oh boy," she muttered as she left, "A social gathering of the wealthy upper class. Fun."


	7. Chapter 7: The GreatStupid Escape

"Kat, you're beautiful!"

"Pep, when will this thing end?"

"Whenever everyone decides to leave. Tell me you're not excited."

"I'm not excited?"

"Look confident. Act confident. Be confident. Keep telling yourself that and maybe it'll work."

"Hey!"

"We're here! Stay next to me." The two climbed out of the Ferrari, Pepper more gracefully so than Kat.

_Oh crud-_ thought Kat as she tripped over her right foot. Luckily, Pepper was there to casually offer her a hand, which she clutched like a child with a cookie.

"Oh, Meryl, how are you?" bubbled Pepper, "What have you been up to? Kat, would you grab us a drink?"

"Of course," she returned, smiling.

_Fuck no._ _And where is Steve?_ On her tiptoes, she peered over the sea of A-list celebrities, catching sight of Steve laughing and chatting amidst a sea of beautiful women. Tony was in the same situation on the other side of the room, though it was difficult to say who was enjoying it more.

_Hmmm, how can I escape from here?_

In all honesty, Kat had no idea how to get back to Avengers Tower, and was clueless as to where the good hiding spots were in George's massive mansion.

She decided finding a place to wait out the party was a better idea than wandering around alone next to the freeway at night.

Sabrina glided towards a huge arched hallway behind a burbling fountain depicting Neptune and his wife, Amphitrite. Breezily checking behind her and to her left and right, she strode into the darkness. The iPhone Pep had given to her was used as a flashlight as she struggled to walk in Pepper's three-inch heels.

Quietly, she opened a wooden door on her left hand side to see a library.

_Mmm, could be a good spot to wait this party out._

The door on her right opened up to a lounge.

_Nah, people might use it later. _

The next few doors opened up into a guest bedroom, bathroom, rec room, art exhibit, bedroom, and backyard.

_No, no, no, maybe, no, yes!_ The double doors at the end of the hallway led into a beautiful backyard. Tall hedges formed a gigantic maze while cheerful fountains bubbled all around her. A pool glittered through the hedges, and a koi pond glimmered to her right. She stood on a raised tile patio, surrounded by French metal lawn chairs and tables.

Kat peeled off her heels and rubbed her sore feet, then hitched up her gown and ran towards the maze. Laughing, she ran through the hedge passageways, running into dead ends and doubling back for more.

However, night quickly fell, and she was still in the maze, trying frantically to figure out how to escape. Pulling out her iPhone, she realized it was at 10%, and quickly texted Pepper.

**Pep, I'm lost in a maze! Send help quickly!**

No response.

**P**

**E**

**P**

**P**

**E**

**R**

No response. Frustrated, she felt tears begin to prick at her eyes when an idea came upon her. Sure, it was a stupid and reckless and dangerous and not intelligent at all idea, but hey, it was the only idea she had.

Concentrating, she managed to push herself off of the ground by sending waves of energy towards the ground through her feet. She sent more energy through, propelling herself higher and higher until she was twenty feet off the ground and could just look over the tops of the hedges.

"Yes!" she crowed, promptly losing her concentration and shooting forward, straight for the pool. "No!" she shrieked, struggling in vain to reverse the flow of energy, "No!"

She collided with the water with a giant splash and sunk to the bottom of the pool. Kicking upwards, she broke the surface of the water, inhaling deeply. Unconsciously, she felt herself begin to laugh as she floated on her back, dress flowing gracefully around her.

"Kat, are you okay?" came Steve's voice, "I, uh, found your shoes," he added, holding them up awkwardly. "Do you need a towel?"

Screaming, she shot into the air, waves of energy boosting her high above the three story mansion.

_This is so embarrassing! Steve, why'd you have to answer my call for help? _

Looking out across the horizon, she noticed a skyscraper with a huge "A" on the very top. Her screams faded as she realized she could see the Avengers Tower, and she shot off, grinning. Steve would probably forget about this anyway, right?

Steve stood at the edge of the pool, holding Kat's heels. He had gotten her text, but didn't know how to reply, so he had run into the backyard and found her floating ethereally in the glowing water. Her caramel hair had fanned out around her angular face as her black dress rippled on the surface of the water. She wasn't like Peggy who was a stunning bombshell; she was quietly beautiful, sort of a flower in comparison to Peggy's butterfly.

And then she had screamed and flown straight up into the air as if she was possessed. Which had most definitely ruined the moment. He laughed to himself and rubbed the back of his neck. Steve was going to have to hold onto these heels until he got back to the Tower.


	8. Chapter 8: Hasta la Vista, Baby

Kat awoke to the sound of knocking at her door. Sleepily, she reached for her glasses on her nightstand, and, putting them on, sighed and opened the door.

"Hey, Kat," greeted Steve cheerfully, noticing her askew hair and baggy eyes, "Did I wake you up? I'm so sorry, my bad."

"Nurgh," she mumbled, blinking blearily, "'ss fine."

"Saved these for you," he replied, confused as he held out her heels. She sent out a twitching hand and took them, trying to smile just as she collapsed. "Kat? Um, you okay?"

Looking down the hall, he picked her up, bridal-style, and carried her back inside, placing her gently on the bed, then moved quickly towards the door. However, Tony walked past, then backpedaled, coming to a stop in front of the open door. Steve froze, eyes wide.

"Well, Spangles has been busy, eh?"

"I-it's not-she fell-"

"Ah, Cap, you can trust me with your little secret," he said, winking and walking in to pat his shoulder, "Well, I won't tell _too_ many people."

"Stark," he warned, "I had to return something to her, and she fell asleep. That's it. On my word."

"How chivalrous," mocked Tony, twirling his moustache, "What a dapper chap." Steve furrowed his brows and pushed past him out the door. Tony grinned, and strutted out of the room, closing the door firmly behind him.

Later in the afternoon, Fury assembled the Avengers in the Tower's conference room.

"There have recently been reports about high gamma radiation signals similar to that of a top-secret weapon we are currently in possession of in Alaska. We're going to need a few of you to...check it out."

"I'll go," stated Steve, standing up.

"I'll stay," said Bruce, much too quickly, "I, uh, I'll monitor the signals from here. If that's okay."

"No offense, but I don't trust any of you guys with my toys. So I'm with Brucie." Bruce looked at him sideways but said nothing.

"I shall go," boomed Thor, "I believe I know of the weapon of which you speak."

"Any chance I could join you guys to warm up a bit?" asked Hawkeye, legs kicked up on the table." Natasha rolled her eyes, and Fury nodded, understanding she was going to stay in the Tower.

"You leave now," he stated, leaning his hands on the table, "Shoo." Steve, Thor, and Clint filed out towards a helicopter as the others remained at the table.

"Isn't it a little...strange...we're splitting up?" remarked Bruce, "I don't know if this is a good idea."

"Ah, Brucie, we'll be fine. We have a Hulk." Bruce wrinkled his nose as Natasha began sharpening a knife.

"Stay on your guard," muttered Fury ominously before leaving the room, black cape swirling around him.

"Old One-Eye's fond of his dramatic exits, eh?" smirked Tony.

"I may be half-blind, but I sure as hell ain't deaf," shouted Fury from down the hall. Tony grinned sheepishly, but froze as the tower vibrated slightly. Natasha was on her feet and at the window, looking for the source of the movement.

"What was that?" asked Bruce.

"JARVIS, what the hell is going on?" asked Tony, more confused than worried as the vibrations came again, "Anything suspicious happening?"

"Well, duh," muttered Bruce.

JARVIS was silent. "Fuck. I'm gonna go get Pepper and Kat. Keep this under control," called Tony, suit attaching to him as he ran into the hallway.

"Bruce, stay calm."

"I'm trying. Just, just shhh," lashed Bruce, closing his eyes.

Tony sprinted towards Pepper's office, then realized she had actually left on a business trip after last night's party. Cursing, he was forced to run to the other side of the tower and up an elevator twenty floors before reaching Kat's room. Pounding on the door, he shouted her name.

"Kat! Hey, it would be great if you could maybe come outside and not die! Soonish!"

There was no response.

Sighing, Tony overrode the lock on the door and scooped her up, then awkwardly ran-jogged to the deck at the top of the tower. "Don't you dare drool on me, piggy. JARVIS, if you're still there, tell Tasha and Bruce to meet me up there!"

Tony reached the top floor, tossing Kat onto a couch and racing outside. Tasha silently appeared next to him, Bruce sitting down next to Kat, struggling to remain composed.

"It _might_ be a good idea to call Fury," started Natasha as both caught sight of a greenish portal opening up in front of them.

"Nose goes!" exclaimed Tony, finger zipping up to meet his nose, "And I win again! As always."

"You douchebag," she muttered, activating her earpiece, "Fury, this is Agent Romanoff. We have a...situation on our hands. Diversion. Portal. Get the rest of the team back here ASAP." Tony elbowed her, then strode forward as a man in a cape emerged from the shimmering green hole. His hair was dark and wavy, falling to his shoulders as emerald eyes pierced Iron Man's mask.

"I am Loki. Kneel before me, swine."

"You're not the boss," whined Tony, "So fuck off."

"Ah, I would," Loki drawled, "But you have something I need." Knocking him down with a quick blast of energy, the god glided towards Kat and Bruce. "Mmm, so this is the monster." Bruce's eyes remained closed, though his complexion turned slightly greener. "How many people have you killed today, quim? Any others you've **slaughtered**?" Kat blinked awake.

"Um, what's going on?"

"You and I are going to go on a little adventure-" He fell forward, faceplanting the carpet.

"When will people learn to not touch my stuff?" moaned Tony as Natasha leapt onto Loki and began restraining him, "Even the Capsicle knows that, and his IQ is probably around 125."

"Erm, I think that's pretty smart," muttered Kat.

"In comparison to _moi_?" He snorted, picking up on her whisper, "As if. Tasha, how's it coming along?"

"And...I think we're good. Fury?" she asked, touching her earpiece, "Clear."

Steve, Thor, and Hawkeye burst into the room, brandishing a shield, bow, and hammer, respectively.

"Well, you guys finally made it. Oh, wait, we're done!"

"We came as fast as we could," snarled Steve.

"Don't worry about it, Spangles, just remember that Kat could've, I don't know, died."

"With you in charge, yes, that sounds right to me."

"Are you trying to say something, Rogers?"

"Are you really that stupid?" Tony jerked back. Nobody, nobody ever insults his intelligence.

"Not stupid enough to crash a plane in the fricking ocean and resurface when my girlfriend's about to die."

"Guys, I think-"

"No, Bruce, you don't think. You're a monster. An experiment gone wrong. I try to help you, but all you do is wallow in your own self-pity and moan about it."

"Oh, the petty fights of mortals," cackled Loki, standing up and rubbing his chafed wrists, "How do you say it here? Oh yes. Hasta la vista, baby." A flash of green light lit up the room, blinding everyone.

As their vision returned, they looked around to see Loki and Kat missing.

"Crap."


	9. Chapter 9: Fingers

"So, you are the one the 'Avengers' are so utterly fond of," drawled Loki. Kat pushed herself off of the ground, shooting up a force field around herself.

"Take me back, you-you patootie!" Loki laughed, throwing his head back.

"You think I would let you go that easily, you pathetic worm? No, I'll let you rot, then have a little...fun with while your friends watch on," he spat, grinning. Kat promptly flipped him off, smiling innocently.

"They're coming for me, you know."

"Ah, but how will they get here?"

"Hmm, I believe he's related to you, he has a big ol' hammer, and his name rhymes with 'drawer.'"

"That oaf? He can't find his own hammer, let alone Asgard. The bridge is closed, Thor is lost on Midgard, your puny friends are confused and most likely fighting each other, and I am in complete and utter control over you. How could you possibly come out on top?"

"The good guys always win."

"Oh, and I'm a 'bad guy?' I was the one destined for the throne, I was **born **to rule. Who are you, a squalling infant, to challenge me, a god?"

"I'm 18, asshole," she retorted, growing angrier and more confident, "Back off!"

"Someone needs to be taught a lesson," he replied, voice deadly calm as he moved towards her, slowly and smoothly. Bracing herself, Kat poured more energy into her shield, fear tinging the blue energy red. Chuckling, Loki stepped gracefully through the barrier, green eyes glinting coldly in the bluish-red light. Kat froze, eyes wide as Loki snatched her wrist. "It would seem as if we need an audience for this, hmm Pet?"

Waving his scepter, a visual portal of the Avengers flickered to life in front of them. The team was seated around a conference table, faces grim and set with determination.

"Oh my God," muttered Bruce, catching sight of Kat and Loki. The other quickly looked over, Steve standing up.

"Release her, Loki," he growled.

"I won't be able to guarantee her health; she may be missing a few parts." Face contorting, Steve moved towards the screen, only to be held back by Thor.

"Loki, the girl has done you no harm," he boomed, mouth in a straight line, "Your quarrel is with me, not her."

"Ah, but I can fight you through her, which is the only reason I'm keeping her alive. For now." Smiling, he held his scepter in one hand, Kat's wrist in another. "Ready for a little show?" Cocking his head as he locked eyes with Steve, Loki rapidly sliced off her index finger.

Kat stared at the bloody stump, which was spraying blood over her face and arm. Loki cackled at the horrified expressions on the heroes' faces as Kat began to scream, gagging.

"Holy shit," muttered Clint as Tony averted his eyes, "Kat, we're coming," he pleaded as she remained frozen, staring at the spot where her finger had once been.

"Just stay alive," blurted Steve, "I promise you, I'm going to find you."

"Good luck," replied Loki, "I'll give you all a moment to discuss your feelings for each other."

Kat fell to her knees, clutching her hand to her chest. "Steve," she croaked, "Help me." The Captain felt a horrible sensation in his chest; he had brought her into all of this.

"Kat, I promise you, I'm coming. Just hang on."

"I'm-I'm trying." Even HYDRA hadn't been this cruel. They had motives for their actions which she could use against them, which got her out of more than a few sticky situations. Loki was simply insane.

"Thor can take us to Asgard," urged Tony, "You need to stay put." She nodded, tears beginning to fall.

"Kat-" began Steve, but the vision flickered off as Loki entered the room.

"How touching, one big happy family." He scoffed, "Love weakens you, as does trust. There is no one who will always tell you the truth." She curled up on the ground, struggling to stem the flow of her own blood. "Oh, calm yourself, Pet," he sighed, waving his scepter, "Did you really think I was going to let you bleed out and escape me?" Her wound sealed itself, though the finger remained missing. "So you'll remember me fondly, Pet."

"I hate you," she spat, face hardening, "I hate you. Everything you do to me, I swear I will repeat it to you a thousand times worse."

"Unless I kill you."

"Then I will haunt you from my grave."

"My daughter controls the Afterlife."

"Figures you'd have a freak as a child."

"Hold your tongue!" he yelled, getting in her face, "Do not ever speak ill of my family again, or I will rip it out of your mouth with my hands!"

"All you are is a failure. I've read your file; your own parents didn't even want you. Even your adopted parents hated you. Thor was the favorite, I can see that now. Who would choose you, a whining, pitiful excuse for a-" She was silenced when Loki slapped her across the face, knocking her head on the stone tile.

Voice deadly calm, he whispered, "If you value your life, you would do best to control your temper."


	10. Chapter 10: Too Much (RAPE WARNING)

_**WARNING ~ WARNING ~ WARNING**_

_**Non-explicit, not descriptive at all, hinted rape scene may be disturbing to certain readers.  
**_

_**I will post a chapter that is more reader-friendly in the next day or so.**_

**Thanks for reading, guys :)  
**

* * *

The next morning, Kat woke up in a sterile white room with 360 degree clear windows, similar to the one Bruce had (for some reason) in his lab. Loki was strangely absent, so, sliding the door back, she exited the cell.

"This is a trap?" she muttered, unsure of what to do. After a few moments, she decided to make a break for it, taking a door into...a bedroom? Everything was green, gold, and black, meaning it must belong to Loki. However, the god was absent, so she decided it was a good time to wreak her revenge on her captor before running away.

_What is the most revolting thing I could possibly do to this room? A __lot_ _of stuff, eh Kat? _

Smiling devilishly, she proceeded to remove the comforter from the bed and place it in a toilet-looking contraption. A chuckle escaped her mouth despite the grave situation she was in as she threw the entire contents of his wardrobe out of a nearby window. Shoes, crowns, and a weird helmet-thingy were hit out of the window, baseball style, with a spare scepter. Curtains were torn down, walls were peed upon, and pillows were ripped apart.

Finally, the crowning piece to her masterpiece. After thinking for a few moments and contemplating on her missing finger, Kat pulled down her pants and took a dump on his torn mattress.

"Catch you never, asshole," she cried, moving towards the door.

However, Loki appeared in the doorway, eyes blazing.

"It would appear as if it is time for another meeting with your little friends, cretin." As usual, Kat flipped him off. "I will cut that finger off tomorrow. Today, I have something else, more satisfactory planned." Grabbing her arm, he dragged her into another bedroom, throwing her roughly on the bed before connecting with the Avengers. "Hello, _heroes_," he spat, "Your little pet is _mine._"

And then she screamed. She screamed because she was helpless, and there was someone on her. And it hurt. She screamed and screamed while her friends looked on, doing nothing. She was alone, so alone, even more alone than in the HYDRA rooms, all black and many needles. Needles. Pain. So much pain. Everywhere. She closed her eyes, tears seeping out as she sobbed, twitching, body versus mind. It seemed she fell through oblivion for an eternity.

She remembered her first time in the room with Officer Lutz. She tried, tried, and tried so hard to make the little blue waves like he wanted her to, to no avail. And then pain, across her face, so much. Then the needles, they started with the needles. Green liquid, gray liquid, purple, yellow, orange, everything in her. In the big chair, with the straps and pins and plastic coverings. "New experiments," they said, "Just a little test. To make you feel better. You'll be so strong, so strong." Confusing, but they knew best.

_I hate you. I hate you all. I hate everything and everyone. I will kill you personally._

And then, an eternity later, she woke up. She opened her eyes to see golden rays of sunshine crawl through the window as if they were ashamed to see her. Alone, she pulled the covers off of her and limped to the open window. Behind her, the connection to Earth remained alive. Only Steve was left staring at her, concerned.

"Kat, there is a team on the way to get you. We're bargaining with Loki."

_Liar. You promised I'd be safe. _"Alright." _I loathe everything and everyone. I will hurt you all. _

"Kat, will you look at me?" She turned around slowly, eyes bloodshot and baggy.

"Alright."

"We didn't know this would happen. Your identity was classified; no one was supposed to know about you."

"Alright," she whispered, closing her eyes.

"Say something."

"Alright."

"Kat, I'm sorry, I didn't know this would happen. This was my fault, and I accept the blame for this. We're trying to get you back, but we need you to cooperate with us. You can punch me and kick me and hurt me when you come back home, but for now, it's imperative that you go along with this mission." She nodded bleakly before moving back towards the window, sitting on the sill. "Kat, what are you doing?!" She swung her legs over so they dangled into open air. The ground was so far away, the Asgardians were only tiny specks on the land.

_I didn't think my life could get any worse. I was wrong. I was wrong again, and again, and again. I can never do anything right, just like Officer Lutz said, and I cannot trust anyone. There is nowhere to hide, no one to confide in, nothing to do to escape my bad luck. _

_I don't understand what I did wrong in a past life, but I'm sorry. I'll try again. _

She jumped.


	11. Chapter 11: Houdini Opposites

Kat felt her rear leave the windowsill as she extended her arms, letting the wind flow up around her. Closing her eyes tightly, she allowed herself to free-fall, not struggling until she hit something with a hard _whump._

Peeking one eye open, she screamed. She was lying face down on the back of Iron Man, whose suit was already binding her to itself by means of built-in handcuffs.

"Let go of me!"

"No can do, Capcicle's orders. Tell me you don't like this," he snarked.

"I hate you."

"And the moment is over." He zipped back towards a fighter plane, Kat struggling and cursing. "Watch the suit, kitten, I'm too tired to make any repairs."

"You haven't done anything except catch me, asshole!"

"This kitty has claws, eh?"

"Call me that again and I'll claw your eyes out."

"Ouch, I'm so hurt."

"Shut up!"

"Alright, I'll shut up."

"Do you understand me?" she enunciated, growing more and more frustrated, "Drop me. Say it was an accident."

"Not a chance. Getting on Spangles' bad side right now would be stupid, even for me."

"Do I look like I care?"

"In all honesty, I can't see you. My neck doesn't have the same mobile capabilities of an owl."

"You're so infuriating!"

"Thanks, Pepper says so too."

"Agh!" She heard him chuckle as he landed inside the loading deck of the fighter plane. Tony walked past signs pointing to the holding cells, Kat remaining plastered to his back, her body mimicking his.

"Au revoir, enjoy your stay. I'll send someone up to feed you."

"Oh, really, you don't have to," she simpered, considering starving herself out.

"Did you really think I was going to let you die like that? That's Cap's call. Even _I _know that." Screaming, Kat threw herself at the glass window separating her from him.

"Let me go!"

"So you can jump out of another window? Hmm, how about...no?" She tried a different tactic, falling to the ground, curling up into the fetal position.

"Please," she sobbed, "Please, I just want to live in peace. I'm so scared."

"Nope. Not gonna work on me, sister."

"Go away, please."

"Sure," he replied shrugging as he strutted out of the room. Kat leaned against the glass, studying the opposite white wall before her eyes slowly drifted shut.

"Wake up, kitten," came the laughing voice of the one and only Tony Stark. She could just _see _his permanent smirk etched onto his face. Blinking and sitting up grumpily, she stood up awkwardly, glaring at him. "Is it that time of the month? Because you're really producing luteinizing hormone."

"Get a life."

"Already did. Now, we need you back in my tower for a check-up and blah blah blah. Jesus, doctors these day. And Bruce, of all people…" he turned around, babbling to himself as he walked out of the small fighter plane, followed by Natasha, who was talking into her earpiece. Cocking her head, Kat listened for anyone else onboard. A smile crept over her face as she slowly moved toward the cockpit.

Seating herself in the pilot's chair, she strapped herself in, randomly pressing a blue button with a door on it to silently seal the aircraft. She peered anxiously at the wide array of buttons, levers, and screens in front of her before closing her eyes and pushing a lever to its maximum height. The engines immediately whirred noiselessly to life, the only indication of their powering-up was a notification on a touchscreen.

"Tony, you're an idiot genius." Kat grinned confidently as she began to get a feel for guessing what did what. Slipping a pair of headphones over her ears to further boost her confidence, she pulled upwards on the steering wheel, bringing the plane into the air. Immediately, JARVIS came through the headphones.

"Miss Monpezat, where are you going?"

"Absolutely no idea. Wait, actually anywhere but New York or Asgard. Can you help me, J-Man?"

"My assistance would require a promise regarding your safety and well-being."

"I promise to not die or mortally wound myself. But I really need your help before they find out my location."

"I am turning off all GPS and satellite signals relating to your whereabouts, making it impossible to track you. You will be able to communicate with me, but no one else, or the satellites will be able to locate you."

"Where do I go?"

"I would recommend one of Mr. Stark's islands. I've heard the Caribbean is nice around this time of year. It is highly unlikely he would take a vacation upon noticing your absence."

"Food? Water? Electricity?"

"A boat with supplies visits every two to three weeks, Miss Monpezat. All satellite signals are currently being deactivated by myself."

"They haven't noticed I'm missing yet?"  
"No, Miss Monpezat, which is either good or bad depending on how you'd like to view the situation."

"JARVIS, I think I'm in love."

"Hopefully not with me. The Captain would be distraught to hear of such a relationship." Her face hardened.

"He can shove a stick up his anus, for all I care."

"Mr. Rogers would find that quite painful. He would not wish that upon you."

"That's why we're not together. Too different."

"I am inclined to think differently."

"Too late now. Thank you for everything, JARVIS. Please stay in touch with me. Or I'll go crazy. Crazier than Tony with a bottle of Grey Goose."

"I promise you I will. Good luck, Kat." JARVIS activated autopilot as Kat sat back, watching the Tower grow tinier and tinier as she closed her eyes.

"Kat, I think it would be better for all of us if you'd take a shower; you smell like Lo-" He turned around, not hearing the sound of her footsteps. Natasha was far ahead of him, listening to five streams of communication at once. "Nat, where's our little kitty?" She swiveled around smoothly, yanking the earpieces out.

"She's flown the coop," she replied coldly, pointing out of a panoramic window. THe plane grew smaller and smaller as it headed off into the distance, away from New York before disappearing entirely, the light refraction sensors working to make it invisible to the naked eye.

"Ah. That would be me," muttered Tony, rubbing his chin, "Can't tell if I should be proud or stupid."

"Stupid," muttered Natasha, "She has your best and most advanced aircraft, and is flying away with it. I'm calling Fury."

"No! No," he interjected, voice dropping, "No Fury. No, no, no. Not today. We can figure this out. Gimme a day. Two days, tops." She eyed him suspiciously before nodding and turning away.

"You'd better get started."


	12. Chapter 12: Adios

Kat dozed in the sun in a hammock strung between two palm trees reading _The Lovely Bones_, everything courtesy of a certain Mr. Anthony Stark. Taking a sip of lemonade, she handed the book off to a nearby AI (artificial intelligence) and walked to the edge of the water. Carefully, she used her powers to walk on the surface of the sea. _Amen!_ With one hand, Kat lifted a sphere of salty water, tiny blue waves emanating around it so that it retained its shape. Tossing the sphere into the air, she released her power, sending tiny reflective droplets of light showering onto her. Grinning, Kat created a field of energy around her, her own personal force field, before descending below the surface of the water.

Last week, she had discovered that she could move in all directions while maintaining her shield, but she wasn't strong enough to travel very deep. Too much pressure.

After scaring the crap out of a turtle, she surfaced and experimented with her gift. Her goal was to learn how to bend light waves with her energy, which could potentially render her nearly invisible. If she could just figure out how to control every single minute ray, she would be unstoppable.

However, this was more difficult than it seemed. She could alter a patch of light so that part of her was invisible, but that was about it.

"JARVIS?" she called, spurring the tiny robot to move towards the waters' edge, "What's the count?"

"Three weeks, Kat. You've held up quite well, I must admit."

"Glad I'm not going crazy. Yet. Any signs of discovery?"

"Mr. Stark is currently searching southeast Asia for you. I might add that Mr. Rogers is quite distraught."

"JARVIS, what's for dinner?"

"Are you attempting to change the subject on me?"

"Erm-"

"All of SHIELD is currently involved. You've become somewhat famous."

"I knew I was destined to be a star."

"I meant _infamous_. Monpezat, the point being is that you've caused quite an uproar back home. Everyone is worried about you, and they're only trying to keep you out of harm's way."

"Isn't it strange how when I was off this island, I was kidnapped, experimented on, beaten, imprisoned, tortured, and raped? But when I'm on the island, nothing happens. Hmmm, this is a toughie. Wanna help me out J?" she snarled, "You gonna promise me that as soon as I step off of this island, everything's gonna be hunky-dory?"

"It would appear as if you do not require my assistance. Goodbye, Miss Monpezat."

"No, wait! JARVIS, I didn't mean it!" The light in the AI's eyes began to fade as she shook it, "Stop! JARVIS?" The robot froze, unmoving.

Kat walked back into the mansion, dragging the stiff robot behind her. Moving into the kitchen, she found that there was no electricity, and the boat shippers who usually brought her food had sent her an email with some excuse as to why they wouldn't be coming for the next month. Yelling out in frustration, she rapidly inhaled every morsel of food left in the entire house, as the shipment should have come today. Crawling into her bed, she fell asleep in the cold, dark house. Truly alone.

When Kat awoke the next morning, she had a plan. The jet was out of gas, as she had used it to fly to the island, and she had accidentally destroyed Tony's two yachts while experimenting with her powers of levitation, so the only option was to fly. Grabbing every GPS she could find, a bottle of water, and five bottles of 5-Hour energy, she climbed to the roof of the house and jumped.

_Jesus, what is it with me and jumping?_

The first two hours were easy. Kat soared through the air with her caffeine, water, and GPS's, steadily moving towards New York. Her tech estimated a 4 hour flight IF she moved as quickly as a plane. However, after two hours of non-stop radiation of energy, she began to grow tired. She peed while in the air, then drank two bottles of 5 Hour Energy, which probably wasn't the most intelligent decision she had made in her life. Her muscles began twitching as she shot through the air, bladder randomly releasing urine as she went. Kat managed to steer herself in the right direction, but it was impossible to control her spazzing limbs and twitching eyes.

An hour passed before the caffeine rush died down, so she drank another two bottles. There was no twitching this time. Instead, she shot through the air much faster than she should have, knocking the wind out of her lungs. Traveling twice as fast as was safe, she slammed into the top deck of the Tower in 30 minutes rather than an hour. As she struggled to stay afloat in the pool, Bruce came running outside.

"Holy-oh my God, Kat, are you okay? Where have you been? Tony! Tasha!" Reaching into the water, he easily dragged her out of the pool and into his arms. The rest of the Avengers (excluding Thor) came into Kat's distorted vision as Bruce carried her inside.

"Kat," said Steve, running up to take her from Bruce, "Where the hell have you been?" She weakly flipped him off before reaching towards Bruce and the rest of the group. Natasha gingerly pulled her away from a confused Steve before moving towards a bathroom.

"Follow me and I'll break your noses," she grunted, locking the door. The superspy set Kat down in the bathtub before leaning against the wall. "Where have you been, what were you doing, and why did you flash Steve the finger?"

Kat remained silent, eyes closed. "Fine. Sit here in your own filth and urine. I can wait." Kat moved towards the dial that would turn on hot water, but Natasha slapped her hand away. "Uh uh. Fess up first." Kat stared at the wall. "You know that Steve was the most worried out of all of us."

"He's a liar."

"How so?" Kat eyed her suspiciously.

"This is one of your super spy tricks to make me spill the beans, eh? Your witchcraft ain't gonna work on this puppy," she croaked, trying her best to look insane.

"You're not fooling anyone with that look," replied Natasha, cool as ever, "I still can't even guess why you're acting this way. Are you drunk?"

"Five-Hour Energy." Natasha rolled her eyes.

"Come on! Do you know what's in that stuff? You need to get that crap outta your system." Kat protested as she dragged her out of the bathtub, clawing at the ceramic. Natasha was firm, holding her by the leg past the rest of the team, who had been huddled around the door, trying frantically to listen. "5 Hour Energy. Kids these days," she muttered, shaking her head. "Bruce, I need you to introduce Kat to the Other Guy."

Bruce looked worried.

"Who's the Other Guy?" asked Kat, the effects of the caffeine slowly leaving her system,  
"Actually, I don't care. I just wanna sleep."

"Um, I think I have some, uh, work to do," muttered Bruce, slowly backing away, "I'll try to cause as little damage as possible."

"Kat," starts Steve, "We're a team. You have to be able to talk to us." The rest of the Avengers all focus on her.

"Natasha, the only reason I came back was because my food supply ran out and I lost electricity. I left because you guys brought me into this freaking mess, which is way worse than before when I was with HYDRA. So the only people in this room I'm feeling slightly less hateful towards would be Bruce and Tony, and maybe Clint because he doesn't do much."

"Hey!"

"Shut up," muttered Natasha, punching Clint in the arm. "I think you and Steve need to figure out your problems so you can go back to being Kat. Because I hate the new you. No offense."

"Hey!"

"Sort yourselves out," barked Natasha, dragging Clint, Tony, and Bruce outside before locking the door. Steve sat awkwardly on the edge of the couch.

"Kat, I know you've been through a lot, but- "

"You said to trust you. So I did." He looked pained.

"We didn't know that was going to happen. Loki is in Asgard, getting his punishment from Thor. It won't happen again."

"That's nice."

"I'm sorry."

"Okay. Natasha!" she called, plastering a smile across her face, "All done!" There was no response. "Damn," she muttered, "So, Steve, talking with you has been great, but I think I've got to say adios. Adios!" she grinned before bolting onto the deck, "Eat my dust!" Sprinting towards the edge of the platform, she bent her legs and was dragged backwards. Eyes wide, she slowly turned around to see Steve grabbing her arm. "What are you doing?"

"Helping you solve your problems. I know you have an issue with me, but you can't keep running away."

"You ran away from World War II."

"And look at me now. I have no idea what anything is, everything's changed, and all the problems I left behind have gotten even worse."

"But you had 70 years of peace and quiet."

"I didn't even get to experience that peace and quiet." She softened her eyes, moving back from the ledge.

"Oh, Steve," she cooed, hugging him, "I'm so sorry; I don't think anyone told you I hate being restrained." Quickly, a forcefield flared up around her, knocking Steve back. Kat whirled around and leapt into the air. However, Steve jumped, grabbing onto her legs as she struggled to stay airborne. "Were you even listening to my speech? I had to think of that clever line! Wasted!"

"I don't think that's what we should be worrying about now," he grunted, tightening his grip on her legs, "Go back!"

"Nah, I'm good. You should be the one worrying, buddy," she replied, tiny waves of energy slowly pushing the Captain downwards.

"What are you doing?" he demanded, scrabbling at her legs.

"Haven't decided yet."

"Kat!" he called, losing his grip. Eyes wide, he fell backwards towards the busy street.

"Shit," she muttered, _I'm gonna have to time this just right…_ Ending the arcs of energy that were keeping her in the air, she fell, using the energy to fall faster. Catching a glimpse of his confused face as she fell, Kat stopped herself a foot off of the ground, energy absorbing the impact. _Come on…_

Steve flew through the air like a star-spangled flying squirrel, face set. Just as he was about to hit the ground, she shot a human-sized frisbee of energy directly underneath him, saving him from the brunt of the impact. "Adios," she muttered, shooting a tiny arc at his head, just enough to annoy him before jetting back towards the island.


	13. Chapter 13: Bruce

"What to do, what to do," she murmured, walking on top of the water. A stray, 10 foot tiger shark began circling beneath her, but she easily threw it a few hundred yards away by pointing her finger.

Kat had relaxed on Tony's island for a month now, still surprised by the fact that no one had been able to find her. It was also possible they were just leaving her alone, but that didn't give her the same amount of satisfaction as did the latter reason. "Para-, para-, paradise," she hummed, lazily watching a blob of water morph into a variety of shapes: a tiger, a dolphin, a kitten, Pepper, and then a stranger. She brought it closer to her face, studying its features. He had a sharp jawline and spiky hair, a disapproving look in his eyes.

"JARVIS?" The face smiled, expression changing as she lost control, dropping the water. Quickly, she conjured up another blob, struggling to form JARVIS' human body but failing each time. Yelling, a wave of her own making crashed down on top of her, pushing her to the ocean floor. In her protective bubble, energy radiating off of her in a sphere, she lay on the sand, fish occasionally swimming through her little room, their own protective spheres of water around them.

She had had plenty of time to work on fine-tuning her powers, learning new tricks and perfecting her old ones. Kat still hadn't figured out how to completely bend light waves, but she figured that would come eventually.

Her mind drifted to other thoughts as she lazed underwater, occasionally bringing herself spheres of oxygen from the surface.

_I'm not sure if leaving HYDRA was a good idea...I'm glad I'm out and about and can rest in peace, but how long will it be until Loki or the Avengers find me? At least with HYDRA I had a home, albeit a terrible one. _

_Everything was supposed to be okay, but then Steve went and made a bunch of stupid promises and Loki happened and here I am. _

_And apparently he likes me now. What the heck? All I wanted was a friend, and he had to go screw that up. There's nobody who'll put up with me, not even JARVIS. Even a freaking robot won't stick around. _

_I can't even die. Powers would stop myself from committing suicide. _

The sound of a boat disturbed her from her reverie. Looking up, she saw the yacht slow down and anchor at a nearby dock. Frowning, she jetted around the island, climbing out the water onto the shore and propelling herself into the leaves of a palm tree.

Bruce stepped out of the boat, jacket in one hand, suitcase in the other. Adjusting his glasses, he opened the door to the mansion. Groaning, Kat leapt out of the tree, powers cushioning her fall, and followed Bruce inside. Tapping him on the shoulder, he whirled around, confused.

"Kat?"

"Hi, Bruce."

"Um, what-what are you doing?"

"Sort of chilling. I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone." His lips curled into a sad frown.

"That might not go over well with the others…"

"Unless they don't know."

"Touche. Are you just gonna, uh, stay here?" he asked, arms wrapped around himself.

"Until they find me. So yes."

"So, you won't be back for a while?" Her eyes narrowed.

"Bruce, why all the explicit questions? Is someone else listening?" He swallowed.

"I'm going to be honest. Yes. I, uh, am apparently the only person who you don't h-hate. The others know you're, erm, here, and sent me to bring you back."

"How do they know?"

"JARVIS."

"Wow."

"What?"

"You-you were supposed to be alone!"

"Did I say that?" She blinked.

"No."

"Have I ever lied to you?"

"No." He shrugged apologetically at her disappointed look.

"Sorry."

"What do I do now?" Bruce bit his lip, studying his feet.

"I think you should come back home. Not right now, but eventually. Just to wrap up all the loose ends and get that off your mind."

"You're not just saying that to trap me?"

"Nope," he shrugged, "The idea of anyone being in an enclosed space doesn't really appeal to me." Kat breathed deeply.

"Trusting you, Bruce."

"I know."


	14. Chapter 14

Bruce locked eyes with Kat, who was fiddling with her fingers as she waited for the jet's doors to open.

"What am I supposed to do?" He swallowed.

"Uh, I was thinking...apologize and hide? That would be my plan." Bruce smiled sadly, looking down as Kat patted him on the shoulder.

"We'll figure it out. Hopefully." The doors slid smoothly apart to reveal the interior of Stark Tower. Kat quietly linked arms with Bruce as they walked down the hall to the conference room. Natasha glowered next to Clint, who was fiddling with the tip of an arrow. Steve stood up from his seat as Tony rolled his eyes, leaning against the wall. Maria, who had been talking into her comms, looked up, face emotionless. The Director, as usual, appeared as if someone had taken away one of his toys, leaving him upset and angry.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't our little missing Kitty," snarked Tony, uncrossing his arms to walk towards her. He rubbed Bruce on the shoulder. "Buddy, I don't know what you did. Here she is, hormonal as ever."

"Stark, is that attitude I sense-" Bruce turned to face her, disapproval written across his features. "Hello, everyone."

"Where have you been?" barked Natasha, hands braced against the table, "You disappeared from SHIELD radar."

"She flew the coop," Clint deadpanned, struggling to contain his laughter. Natasha slowly swiveled her head to look at him before smacking the back of his head.

"Focus, you idiot!"

"Kat, where were you for the past 16 days?" interjected Maria. Kat furrowed her brows.

"What? I thought you sent Bruce after me?" Everyone turned to look at the Doctor.

"Dr. Banner, correct me if I'm wrong, but you were supposed to be on research leave," said Fury, eye unblinking, "I believe I am justified in stating you disobeyed direct orders."

"I-I did. Kat needed help."

"Yeah, leave him alone!" defended Kat, moving slightly in front of him, "Don't get him in trouble because of me!" Fury cocked an eyebrow, walking around the two.

"Are you saying, Kat, that you'll accept the consequences of his actions?"

"Um-"

"I see. In that case, we'll need you to be confined here for the next 32 days, double the time of your little...vacation." Kat swallowed, lifting her chin.

"Okay."

"Excuse me?" Tony sniggered as Clint snorted. Natasha hit him again, making him burst out in laughter. Fury shot him a look to shut him up.

"Okay."

"Sir."

"Pardon me, but I'm a ma'am."

"Your appearance would suggest otherwise."

"I hope I'm not speaking out of line, ma'am, but it would be safe to assume that your sight is not exactly, uh, _trustworthy_, seeing that, um, you appear to be visually, um, impaired."

Fury turned a deep, eggplant shade of purple, vein next to his eyepatch swelling. He pointed to the door, eyes never leaving Kat as she sauntered from the room, smiling happily at Bruce, who had his head in his hands.

Clint and Natasha cuffed her and led her to a clear holding cell meant for Bruce. Locking her inside, they stepped out of the room to allow Steve in.

"Thanks for saving me," he began. She lay down on a cot, curled into the fetal position. "Um, if you want to talk to me, I'm here," he added, sitting down and leaning his back against the glass so that it was the only thing separating his skin from hers. The two sat in silence for a while until Kat closed her eyes, feeling sleep overtake her.

Steve, faintly hearing her breathing slow, looked over his shoulder to see her pressed awkwardly against the glass, head leaning on her shoulder. Getting up, he locked the doors to the holding facility, then let himself into the container itself. Steve sat down next to her, not quite leaning on her, but close enough to see the few faded freckles that kissed her skin. He smiled, reaching out a hand to touch her cheek, but stopping before he could do so. Pulling his arm back to fold it across his chest, he leaned his head against the glass to stare at the stark white ceiling.

_I'd like to sleep for another 70 years._ He started, feeling her head plop onto his shoulder. Sighing in relief, he looked down at Kat, who had nestled her head between his shoulder and head.

Steve didn't move.


End file.
